Harry's detention in HBP

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 168335


> Carol responds:
> 
> I'm aware that JKR has said in an interview that Snape is a very
> sadistic teacher, but she's trying to create and sustain a certain
> view of him--Harry's view--that may not necessarily correspond with
> the reader's impression.

Pippin:
Actually, I think we end up with a nobler Snape if he *is* sadistic.
First of all, we have to be talking about DDM!Snape here, because
there's no suggestion by anybody that a Snape who  deliberately
betrayed Dumbledore for his own or Voldemort's ends is noble
in any way.

Now let us suppose that this Snape is sadistic, and furthermore
he hates Harry just as much as Alla thinks he does. It's immediately
clear that this Snape could treat Harry a whole lot worse and get away
with it. Not only does Dumbledore trust him completely, there are
other teachers whose punishments are harsher (McGonagall and
Moody), whose classroom methods are scarier (ditto) and who 
show far more blatant favoritism (Slughorn and Lockhart.) 

Sadist!Snape, despite his  personal inclinations, is being more
egalitarian and more protective of his students than the WW requires
him to be. That is self-sacrificing, magnanimous and therefore noble.

Pippin